Photo by RR Best
Hunt Goes On
Easter Sunday’s rain didn’t stop the annual egg hunt at Wyman Park. Hundreds of local children gathered in six age groups to get more than their fair share of prize filled Easter Eggs thanks to the Sullivan Fire District.
•April 19, 2017•
By Mike Brothers
mbrothers@newsprogress.com
The Moultrie County Board approved bids for county and township roads and bridges at the April 13 meeting.
Road and Bridge Committee Chairman Kevin McReynolds moved that the County Motor Fuel Tax materials program for 2017 be awarded to low bidder Earl Walker Company for $229,765. He also made a motion concurring with township road commissioners to accept Earl Walker Company and Emulsicoat for township roads: Walker-$859,818.84 and Emulsicoat Inc- $36,960.
Both motions were approved unanimously.
McReynolds offered a resolution authorizing $43,395 state bridge funds and $12,350 local bridge funds for the Whitley Township bridge project. Resolution passed unanimously. Read More
•April 19, 2017•
By Ariana Cherry
for the News Progress
“The Sullivan Civic Center has been an important part of Sullivan for years,” city council members agreed at their most recent meeting. The building itself is 50 years old.
For some time now, commissioner Mike Mossman has been dealing with legal issues concerning its roof. Both Mossman and city administrator, Dan Flannell met with architects to discuss the roof.
One option they were given was to redo the entire building design which would separate the pool area from the building which would keep its humidity issue confined to only one building. Read More
Photo by RR Best
The pony ride was a popular event at the Easter Egg Carnival at Courtyard Estates Saturday. The annual event is sponsored by Petersen Health Care facilities in Sullivan.
•April 19, 2017•
By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress
The bunny trail led to the 10th annual Easter Egg Carnival on the grounds of the Sullivan Rehabilitation and Health Care Center Saturday, April 15.
There, en masse, were approximately 800 children and parents gathered to ride ponies and pet camels, goats, rabbits, and sheep. They bounced around in three colorful bouncy houses, ate hot dogs, chips and sodas and found over 8,000 Easter eggs. There was more: 18 prizes drawn from the three children’s age groups, a $100 KMart gift certificate drawing and the famous cake walk. All this, except the food, was free to the public.
This was no small undertaking and accomplished only by the dedicated work of many volunteers. It began Monday before April 15 when Ken “Catfish” Morrison started mowing the large field, putting up the flags and tables. A small army of residents at Courtyard Estates spent four days filling all the 8,000 eggs with candy. Petersen Health Care provided the pony rides and the petting zoo, Courtyard Estates, Eastview Terrace and Mason Point provided the bouncy houses and all the volunteers who helped run the stands, take tickets, and run the cake walk. It was, indeed, a community effort. The pony rides and petting zoo handlers managed their attractions, but everything else was run by the volunteers. Read More
Photo furnished
Windsor Students of March
High School Student of the Month at Windsor Jr/Sr High school is sophomore Lauren Hendershot (right), daughter of Jason and Shawn Hendershot. She is involved in band, Spanish club, and art club. Junior High Student of the Month is Alexandra Domzalski, daughter of Robert and Rebecca Domzalski. She is an eighth grader and participates in volleyball and track.
Photo by Mike Brothers
OVMS eighth grader Connor Wood and Shelbyville seventh grader Gabe Dove load mulch for Findlay park project.
•April 12, 2017•
Okaw Valley and Shelbyville Middle School students helped spruce up the village of Findlay April 7.
Jody McCormick, Findlay trustee and economic development coordinator, came up with community projects to help prepare the village park and downtown planters for spring activity, while also cleaning up around the village.
“This is a great opportunity to get together different communities and work hand in hand to complete projects where the kids can see it to completion,” McCormick said, noting she hopes to get involved when the co-op exchange goes to Shelbyville for a similar project in the future.
The chance for students from different schools to cooperate on community projects came from Findlay Middle School student council advisor Lou Maxedon. He explained that a discussion about community projects in cooperation with other schools was held at a recent workshop.
”When I discussed the possibility of student councils from Okaw Valley, Central A&M and Shelbyville working together on projects, middle school principal Ross Forlines agreed so we contacted Jody to help kick off the effort,” Maxedon said.
He explained that students from sixth-eighth grades were randomly selected to work in 12 groups at the park and downtown emptying planters and clearing trash in the business district. Read More
Photo by RR Best
Early Sunday morning crash sends Sullivan man to hospital.
•April 12, 2017•
A 1:24 a.m. crash April 9 sent a Sullivan man to Carle Hospital with serious injuries.
Moultrie County Sheriff Chris Sims explained that deputies were called to 696 CR 1100N where the remains of a 2010 Hyundai coupe were sitting on its top five feet from a house.
The driver, Tyler J. Sesko, 24, Sullivan, was removed from the overturned vehicle by the Sullivan Fire And Rescue Squad, then transported to Carle. He was issued a ticket for reckless driving with the investigation open. Read More
•April 12, 2017•
By G. Ford
for the News Progress
Carriage Crossing Assisted Living Center located at 909 Green Mill Road in Arcola hosted a dinner and presentation on The 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease to announce the reopening of the assisted living and memory care facility.
Brenda Hearn, Executive Director of Carriage Crossing, expects the reconstruction and renovation to be completed within the next two weeks, followed by inspection and licensing by the state of Illinois.
The residents who were moved to other facilities last June will be returning, and the staff is currently scheduling tours for interested new residents. Read More
•April 12, 2017•
By Mike Brothers
Sullivan school district’s proposition to raise funds for facilities with a one percent sales tax failed in Moultrie County 1851 to 1309 during the April 4 election.
Sullivan’s sales tax rate remains at 6.75 percent as a result of the vote. The proposed one percent increase could have generated $977,252 for county schools, with $499,850 as the CUSD 300 share.
Coles, Douglas, Champaign, Piatt, Macon, Christian and Shelby counties previously approved the sales tax. Sales tax rates range from 9.00% to 7.25% in those counties.
Seven candidates were seeking four open seats in the Sullivan CUSD #300 school board race. Ann Wheeler was appointed to replace Scott Atchison who resigned and was running to complete his term. Sitting members Mary Ann Wiley, Amy Fultz and Roger Bragg chose not to run. Read More
Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Mr. Rogers science students learn how to make things float into the air.
•April 12, 2017•
By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress
It’s a wonderful day in the neighborhood - that neighborhood being Mr. Troy Roger’s seventh grade science class as they prepare to launch an experiment on which they have been working.
In the school atrium a large clutch of colorful balloons awaits as part of the experiment. Upstairs in the classroom Rogers explains that the 16 students have been watching the animated film, “Up” in which a grumpy old man attaches a bazillion balloons to his house and floats off to adventures.
The students have been challenged to estimate how many balloons it takes to lift their small popsicle house off the ground.
He started this experiment five years ago. Helium is expensive for the balloons so they are especially grateful to Ellen Bernius of the Flower Pot for her generous helium filled balloon donation for this learning experience.
This is a class project- Rogers makes the assignment and the rules while the students work together to construct the popsicle house, make the calculations, organize the balloons, etc. Read More